


raise the black, for my heart will not surrender

by christchex



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Crash Fest 2019, F/F, Liz Ortecho/Max Evans - Freeform, Pirate AU, Roswellprompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 07:30:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19719028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/christchex/pseuds/christchex
Summary: Alex climbed the ladder thrown over the side of the boat, helped over the rails by a thin blonde woman, curled hair pulled back barely hidden by her hat. The captain ofThe Aphroditewas known to Maria, but never before had their paths crossed.It was unfortunate for Captain Jenna Cameron that she made an enemy the day she struck a deal with Jesse Manes.





	raise the black, for my heart will not surrender

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AudreyBlanche](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AudreyBlanche/gifts).



> Written for Crash Fest 2019, over on Tumblr! For [AudreyBlanche](http://audreyblanche.tumblr.com), who prompted: _Jenna/Maria, literally anything I just need more femslash in my life_ and __  
> Malex AU, anything that is tropey as fuck (like pirates or models or detectives, you get my drift) . Obviously, I combined the two :D
> 
> I hope you like this! <3
> 
> There is also a playlist, [which can be found here](https://open.spotify.com/user/christchex/playlist/653F5j9KRqjuITLPDP9VPH?si=UVxxePxITkCkasTSnP2Htg)! It's what I listened to while writing this. It also has songs on there for the angsty Malex sequel to this that I'm also writing...

The sun glared off the still sea on the day that Captain Maria DeLuca watched her family leave. The sky was cloudless, a contrast to the storm of emotions on the deck. Guerin, at the helm, refused to meet anyone’s eye, too angry and too scared and too heartbroken to watch as Alex Manes slipped into the rowboat and made his way back to his father. Alex too refused to meet anyone’s eyes as he lowered the boat. Maria watched it all, stoic in the face of this heartbreak. Another member of her family slipped away- away from the ship that was their home, away from their real family.

She had already watched Liz leave, to the arms of a navy man and a chance at adventure and discovery. She couldn’t begrudge her that dream, the chance to seek out knowledge, to see something beyond the sea and the few safe harbors that allowed them entry. Maria loved the sea with her heart, had since Mimi first set sail away from the land that hand tried to shackle her, but she knew that not everyone shared that love. She knew Liz didn’t. Liz loved her books on the sciences, biology and chemistry and all the things that England would never allow a woman from a family such as hers to study. She had found a man who loved that about her, who loved everything about her. Maria would never keep her from that.

Maria wished she could keep Alex from this. She watched as Alex released the rope, to start the pulley to lower himself into the water. She walked across the deck, footsteps heavier than she would ever dare if the sea weren’t so still.

“You don’t have to do this Alex,” she said, voice harsh with desperation. “We will fight. You do not have to return to him.”

Alex couldn’t even manage his usual smirk, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to hide his on-coming tears. His eyes flickered to the helm, to Michael, before they quickly returned to Maria’s face.

“I know what he’s capable of, Captain. He will not stop until he sees us burn; or, until he gets me. I will protect my family, the same as you would protect me. This is for the best.”

“I already lost one member of my family Alex, please don’t make me lose another.”

This time Alex managed a small, sad smile as the tears finally fell. “We’re family Maria, we’ll always return to one another. One way or another. I promise. Please, take care of yourself. Take care of Michael and Rosa. They will need you, as their friend and their captain.”

“I love you. And if you ever get the chance…”

“I’m a pirate DeLuca, I know when to use a sword.”

“Good,” she replied before she kissed his cheek and stepped back.

She stayed by the side of the boat until Alex hit the water and started to row to the ship well outside the range of their cannons. Neither side trusted the other not to fire. She walked over to where Guerin was huddled, still trying to hide his pain. Rosa was already by his side, small yet powerful as she wrapped her arms around his shaking form.

Maria joined them, allowing her crew to see this single moment of pain. She wrapped both Guerin and Rosa in her arms and rocked them, gentle as the calm before the storm. Whatever came after, they would weather it, as they always did, together. She disentangled herself from their arms and opened her spyglass. She watched as her brother in all but blood neared the opposing ship. It was a merchant ship, allegedly, their hull was full of iron and gunpowder. Privateers paid by Admiral Jesse Manes to retrieve a single piece of treasure- his wayward son who had to be punished for his crimes.

As she watched, she listened as Rosa tried to console Guerin, tried to say that his heart would heal, he would love again. Maria doubted it. So, it seemed, did Guerin.

“There is only one man I will ever love Rosa, and I just watched him leave forever.”

“You don’t know it’s forever. Besides, what about a woman to love Mikey?”

He laughed a quiet sob into Rosa’s hair. Guerin didn’t have to answer, they all knew the truth. There was only one woman any of them would ever love truly. She had their heart firmly in her salty grasp. 

Alex climbed the ladder thrown over the side of the boat, helped over the rails by a thin blonde woman, curled hair pulled back barely hidden by her hat. The captain of  _ The Aphrodite _ was known to Maria, but never before had their paths crossed.

It was unfortunate for Captain Jenna Cameron that she made an enemy the day she struck a deal with Jesse Manes.

-

The waves surged as the storm reached its peak. The full rage of the sea battered them all as they fought the elements, to stay the course and survive. It had been a few weeks since they fulfilled their agreement with Admiral Manes and bad luck had befallen them ever since. If Jenna didn’t know better, she would say that the sea herself was angry. Why the sea would be angry that she reunited a worried father with his lost son she did not know.

They braced themselves as another wave crashed against the hull, rocking them violently. She watched helplessly as one of her men slid across the deck into the already weakened railing and fell into the tumultuous embrace of the sea. Jenna watched as the mizzen cracked, a fissure down the center thankfully intact enough to sway in the winds of the storm and not crash into the quarterdeck.

They fought through the night and only relaxed once the skies close, the clouds started to pass, and the cold light of a hazy dawn fell across their faces. If they were lucky, they were close enough to port that they could make it despite the haggard state of their ship. If they weren’t, and their current luck seemed headed that way, they had just enough rations to make it at least close to a populated shoreline. Stuck on land was better than lost at sea.

Two days into their slow journey back towards Jamaica another ship appeared on the horizon. No flag flew, but that meant little. A pirate would not brazenly fly the black. No, they would raise only to let their prey know there was no place to run. Jenn had done it for years, on one sea or another. She knew.

“Charlie!” She called to her sister as she climbed to the crowsnest.

“I know Captain! Already halfway there!”

A few minutes passed before the call came down.

“It’s  _ The Wild Pony _ !”

“Isn’t that the ship that stole Admiral Manes’ son?” Jenna looked over to her quartermaster, an old sailor with the full trust of the crew and a long memory.

“Stole him? Definitely not,” he replied. “Captain DeLuca doesn’t work in human cargo, not even for ransom. But yes, that is the ship that he sailed on.”

“If he wasn’t stolen, why was the Admiral so determined to get him back? And why would he lie about it?”

“The Admiral isn’t known for his compassion, Captain. You’re still new to these waters, but Jesse Manes is a conniving, possessive, deceitful man. Never trust a word out of his mouth.”

“Why did you let me deal with him?”

“”We are under the protection of, and conscripted by, the British Empire. We could not have denied him, even if we wanted to. He would cry treason and we would be dead.”

The ship in the distance grew closer and closer. Her quartermaster turned away from the view and towards her.

“Maria DeLuca is a good woman. If we signal for help, she may come to our aid. And, rumor has it, her navigator can fix anything.”

Before Jenna could consider it,  _ The Wild Pony _ began to turn, a wide turn that would make it impossible to reach each other before The Aphrodite sailed too far past.

Jenna frowned and pulled out her spyglass. She aimed at the helm where two figures stood motionless amongst the usual controlled chaos of a ship. A woman, dark skin glowing in the golden sunlight with hair that curled loose around her face, who had to be Captain DeLuca stood next to a man. They both wore expressions of disgust and fury. The man’s curls, obviously bleached from a life at sea, did nothing to hide the narrowing of his eyes before he spat in contempt in their direction and turned his attention back toward the wheel.

“I don’t think we will find aid there,” Jenna said, voice dry. “We have two more days until we reach port. If the weather stays, we survive.”

They turned their attention to the horizon ahead of them.

Two days later they reached Jamaica. They repaired their ship and moved to set back to sea three weeks later. A Spanish ship was due to pass on its way to the Mexican colony. They day before they left port, a man showed up to Jenna’s tent on the beach. He was bruised and covered in blood.

“Captain Cameron,” Alex Manes eyes bright, a contrast to the dark void they were when they parted.

“Alex Manes. What brings you to my camp? And in such a state?”

“My father’s ship was attacked after we left your company,” the lie obvious in his voice. His next words were the truth though, resolve hard on his face with defiance in the line of his shoulders. “My father is dead and my place is at sea. I am here to ask if you would take me on, as part of your crew.”

The guilt that had been sitting in Jenna’s stomach since she learned the truth about Jesse Manes finally eased. 

“We lost a good man in the recent storms. Our luck has not been on our side. We have passed through three weeks of storms, even with the storm season behind us. We have had to replace a mast, railings, and sidings. Do you still wish to sail with us, knowing that?”

“Yes,” Alex replied without a single hesitation. “As I said, I belong at sea. The sea has my love, and I will return to it.”

“Very well. Welcome to the crew of  _ The Aphrodite _ , Alex Manes. May our fortunes change.”

Alex just smiled.

-

“What do you mean Valenti has joined a crew? I thought he was content to stay in Port Royal and practice medicine there?”

Rosa shrugged. She and Maria were sat at a discrete tavern close to the harbor, faces hidden by the corner shadows. They foresaw no issues, but it never hurt to be cautious. This was not Nassau. They were not surrounded by pirates and tenuous allies. The British Navy was stationed close by. Caution was an imperative. 

“That’s what Liz said. And she would know. She and Max sail through here more often than not. For a former naval captain, he’s not completely awful.”

Maria laughed. It was true, Max was not awful, not even close. He adored Liz, loved that she would drag him around the world in search of new questions to answer, new things to discover. He was always fortunate enough to have a small fortune, enough that he and Liz could travel around the globe.

“You’re right,” Maria conceded as she took another sip of her ale. “Liz would know. I’m still surprised though. Last time we saw the good doctor, he was determined to help every poor soul he found.”

“A little different than the boy we knew who broke Liz’s heart, but you’re right. It is unusual. I can’t think of many things that would drag him to sea.”

They sat in companionable silence after that, both thinking of one of the few people who ever managed to get Kyle Valenti on a boat for longer than an hour. It had been two years, but neither forgot about Alex. The time healed the initial wound, but both missed him like a dull ache. They were doing better than Guerin though, who still alternated between rage and melancholy. They stayed even as the tavern began to fill, as the work day ended and people began to fill the tables for supper. They stayed and did what they had set out to do- listen to the gossip around the port, learn what they could about any ships from loose-lipped sailors or the lonely wives.

“It’s a shame,” one of the women at a nearby table said to her companions. “Dr. Valenti helped everyone he could, regardless of status.”

“I cannot believe he left for a pirate ship! A learned man such as he!”

“Not a pirate,” the first woman replied, “a privateer, loyal members of the great British Empire! They do so much for us, you know.”

“Oh, we know,” came from the third woman at the table. Her voice was filled with derision as she looked critically at the woman who spoke first. “We all know how much that  _ privateer _ does for you when he’s in port and your husband is away.”

“What I get up to while my husband is gone is between myself and God. You do not get to judge me.” She gave the women a small smirk as she continued, “besides, we get up to it while my husband is there as well.”

“You hussey! Shame on you,” the second exclaimed while the third just raised her eyebrows.

“Plus, the two of you get all the best gossip while he’s around, so I don’t know why you’re complaining.”

“We all knew Valenti left Charlotte, this is not news.”

“But, did you know that Valenti left to join because of the late Admiral Manes’ son? Turns out the good doctor and Lieutenant Alex Manes had a  _ history _ , one that Valenti was eager to continue.”

Rosa and Maria both snorted into their beers. Alex and Kyle had a history alright, but definitely not the one the women imagined. They shared a small chuckle until the rest of the words caught up to them. Kyle Valenti joined a crew that Alex Manes was on. Admiral Mames was dead.

Alex was back at sea, but still not returned to his family.

They paid for the meal and left quickly. They returned to the ship and to Guerin.

His eyes were bright, tears clinging to his lashes, but they were not tears of sorrow but tears of joy.

“He’s alive,” Guerin said the moment he saw Maria and Rosa. “He’s alive and his father is dead.”

Rosa and Maria glanced at each other, unsure of what to do. Yes, Alex was alive, but he was not here.

“We just heard,” Rosa said after a moment of silence. “He’s aboard a ship, a privateering vessel. He convinced Valenti to join him.”

Guerin paused and frowned. “Why would he go to Valenti?”

“We don’t know, it’s just what we heard,” Maria said gently. “He may have been pressed into service and you know Kyle would do anything to protect. That was probably it.”

Guerin paced along the quarterdeck, obvious in thought. “The only privateers who sailed out of Port Royal recently was  _ The Aphrodite _ .”

“Captain Cameron?” Maria perked up. Her dislike of the captain who robbed her of her brother was still there. It was why they missed being in port at the same time. Maria did everything she could to avoid coming into contact with Jenna Cameron and anyone who willingly worked with Jesse Manes.

Guerin closed his eyes, pain on his face but resolve slowly easing the furrow of his brows.

“At least he’s back at sea, at least he’s back where he belongs,” he said, voice quiet, eyes fixed toward the open ocean. “Now I know he’s alive. Now we know how to find him.”

Maria swore to herself that the next time she saw Jenna Cameron and  _ The Aphrodite _ , she would steal Alex back into the loving arms of his family.

-

“Captain,” Alex Manes said when he saw Jenna enter the tavern. They were in Nassau, safe amongst the other privates now that they had officially broke away from the British Empire. “You don’t often leave camp, to what do we owe this honor?”

He, Kyle, Charlie, and a vaguely familiar curly haired man were crowded around a small table. Alex and the man were pressed in close together, Alex’s arm thrown around the back of the man’s chair.

“Yeah Captain,” Charlie said with a grin. “What brings you down amongst the degenerates?”

Jenna could only roll her eyes at her sister’s comment. She looked around the tavern and had to agree, just a little. The wooden walls of the tavern- chipped from thrown chairs, dented from fists, and scorched from torches that fell- told the story of the kind of people that hung around there. It wasn’t that Jenna felt herself above it, but that the moment she stepped into the tavern attached to the brothel she was no longer the respected pirate captain she was on  _ The Aphrodite _ or even in camp on the beach. No, the moment she walked into the brothel she was another pretty little thing looking for a big strong man to do her right. Or so most of the men thought.

She had no good reason to come in today, nothing beyond wanting the company of her sister and her closest friends. The rest of her crew was at camp, as it was too early for half of the to be up when they did not have their usual duties to attend to. 

“Do I really need a reason to come and see my sister?” Charlie snorted and looked over at Kyle and Alex, both of them had a disbelieving look on their face. “Ok fine, I didn’t want to stay at camp, but I did also want to spend some time with you, all of you, before I have to go back to being your captain.” Jenna grabbed an empty chair from a nearby table and sat next to her sister. She turned to the curly-haired man at the table. “Hello, Captain Jenna Cameron of  _ The Aphrodite _ , please call me Cam.”

The man stared at her, eyes dark and unhappy, until Alex elbowed him in the side.

“Name’s Michael Guerin, navigator of  _ The Wild Pony _ .”

Jenna made a soft noise of comprehension. She remembered seeing his angry face, the whip of his curls in the wind as the ship known for its tendency to help those stranded at sea turned away from them in their time of need. She remembers his contempt, right after she delivered Alex to a father she now knew was a monster, before he killed him and made his way back to the sea. She looked at how close they sat, how their bodies seemed to lean together, no matter how the other moved.

“The sea has your love,” Jenna said to Alex, “that’s what you said when you asked to join my crew. Didn’t realize it wasn’t just the ocean longing you were talking about.” She laughed with delight when Alex’s face turned pink, her normally stoic quartermaster embarrassed. “Oh none of that Alex. It’s cute.”

“Yeah, it’s cute,” Michael said with a delighted smile on his face and in his voice. He turned toward Jenna. “Alex tells me that you’re a fair captain. That you did everything you could to make up for working with the devil.” His eyes were hard, but there was a softness to his mouth, as if he wanted to smile but was keeping it to himself.

“It wasn’t until weeks after we took the Admiral back to his ship that my former quartermaster told me the kind of man we dealt with. I’m a pirate and a privateer, but I have my standards. A father wanting to punish his son for who he loves? Not one of the things I would have done, had I known the truth.”

“Alex keeps telling me you’re a good woman, in the letters we’ve been leaving each other when we’re in port.”

Jenna and Kyle looked over at Alex, who still had a blush on his cheeks.

“I had to let him know I was ok, even if we never ended up on land at the same time,” he said, with defensive air about him.

Michael kissed his temple.

“And I appreciate it. Glad we finally got to see each other,” he paused and then looked across the table at Kyle, “even if it means I have to see more of Valenti than I have ever wanted in my life.”

Kyle’s indignant cry almost drowned out the angered cry from the bar, but not quite.

Jenna looked over to see Maria DeLuca, captain of  _ The Wild Pony _ growl in frustration as Wyatt Long pushed his way into her space. Jenna gave the two her full attention. The rest of their table hadn’t noticed anything yet, but she knew it would be soon. From what she knew, the crew of  _ The Wild Pony _ was protective of their captain, as she was protective of them. She ignored the banter between Kyle and Michael to focus on the trouble at the bar.

“Come on DeLuca, you can’t tell me anyone on that crew of your is satisfying you the way you need,” Long leered. “Maybe if they did, you wouldn’t play pretend at being a pirate, let alone a captain. You and that Cameron both need to learn your place. And that’s between my legs.”

Jenna pushed herself up from her chair and reached the bar in a few, long strides.

“And who exactly is going to teach us our place, Long? Definitely not that tiny thing you have between your legs.”

“Oh look, the porcelain doll pretending to be a captain has come to join us. You finally decide to take my offer?”

“But Wyatt,” Jenna replied, voice full of sarcasm that she knew Long wouldn’t hear. He never did. She rolled her eyes. “I don’t think even my small, delicate hands could find anything down your pants. Besides, why would I want to learn anything from you, when you couldn’t even keep your ship for yourself. How’s  _ Kathryn’s Heart _ now that Green has it? I heard he was renaming it and all...”

“You fucking bitch--” Long started, but he was quickly disturbed by Maria spinning him around and throwing a punch. Long staggered backwards from the force of it.

Jenna knew that they had the attention of everyone in the tavern at that point. She could hear the angry cries from Long’s crewmates, the angry cry that had to be Michael Guerin going to assist his captain. Jenna had just a moment to look around at the chaos unfolding before Hank came at her with a fist raised.

Later, when the fighting stopped and the crews separated to lick their wounds, Jenna had her first conversation with Captain Maria DeLuca.

“You didn’t have to come in and defend me, you know,” Maria said as they walked back toward the ships. Alex and Michael walked ahead of them, leaning on each other pretending it’s to help the other walk when it was more about contact. Jenna could have told them that no one on this group would have begrudged them that. Jenna could have told them that they would have a thousand brawls in brothels until they could touch freely.

Maria kept her head forward, but Jenna kept her eyes focused on her profile.

“I know,” she replied, with a shrug. “But I know the shit they say about me. You’re a good captain. You’re a good  _ pirate _ , you shouldn’t have to listen to the shit Wyatt Long says.”

“Well, thank you then,” she said with an unknown quality to her voice. It wasn’t the determined voice she used at the bar, nor was it the reserved one she had used just a moment before.

“You’re welcome. And thank you for throwing that punch. Maxine will kill us later for all the damage to the bar, but I don’t know how much longer I could have listened before I pulled a knife on him.”

Maria smirked, head still forward. They made their way to the dock, where the longboats were waiting to take each captain to their boat.

“Maybe you aren’t as bad as I thought you were Cameron.”

She pulled Michael away from Alex’s arms, but paused so that they could say their goodbyes. She watched as Michael gave Alex a kiss before he turned to Kyle and gave him a quick, too strong slap on his arm in goodbye. Jenna had never seen so much begrudging affection in any gesture. She gave Alex and Kyle a hug.

Maria DeLuca turned around after they were in their boat and about to leave the dock. “Still not sure I can forgive you Cameron. You did stole my family.”

“I’m a pirate DeLuca,” Jenna replied with a smirk. “What did you expect.”

Kyle looked at his captain and rolled his eyes.

-

The ship gave a slight jerk as the anchor hit the seafloor. The rest of the crew were already making their way toward land, longboats cut through the water as they slowly reached the shoreline. They would set up camp there, for those who did not have a bed to go to. Maria would join them, she always joined them, for she no longer had a home on this island. The small cottage inland that her mother owned when she finally left the sea was overgrown now, falling apart from storms and neglect.

It had been a year since Mimi DeLuca passed away and Maria’s heart still ached from the loss. He ache was slowly easing though, with the help of the rest of her family. Guerin and Rosa barely left her side those first few months. Liz and Max took time out from their adventures to join her aboard  _ The Wild Pony _ , so that Maria could have her family around her. Even Alex, so engrossed in life on  _ The Aphrodite, _ took time to stay in port with them when they docked.

Yes, the ache was easing, but it still hurt. Especially now, as they sailed into the harbor at Nassau and Maria knew that her mother was not waiting for her.

She watched as one of her men dove into the water instead of waiting for the boats to hit sand. She laughed even harder when she saw a figure on the beach. Guerin’s curly hair was plastered to his face as he made his way to Alex, sat on the sand with a cane beside him. That had been another blow to their family, Alex sick with fever for weeks while Kyle tried to nurse him the best he could while out at sea. For the sake of her crew, Maria was glad that Guerin had only found out about it later, after Alex was on his way to healed.

Maria continued to watch as her men set up their camp, tents raising as they dug fire pits and latrines. She would join them soon, only after making sure her ship was well looked after.

Hours later, she found herself on the outskirts of the camp, fires blazing in the distance as the sun began to set. The blanket under her had been one of the ones from her mother’s house, woven in the Americas and stolen from a ship as it made its way back to England.

A bottle of rum firmly in hand, she tried to ignore the pain, tried to ignore any responsibilities. She tried to just be a woman on a beach with no worries beyond finishing her bottle. She was not successful. She tried not to think about that either as she took a long swig from the bottle.

Some sat down next to her and Maria gave a slight startle. Guerin was firmly trapped in Alex’s arms, Rosa had dragged Kyle away the moment it became clear that Guerin and Alex were never going to untangle. Liz and Max were not supposed to be back until later in the week and the rest of her crew, despite loving their captain, often spend the first night as far away from her as they can get.

“It’s not that we don’t love you, Captain, it’s just we’ve been on a ship with you for months and need to see other people.”

She had laughed when Ronald had said it and agreed.

She turned to look at her new companion, a slight smile on her face until she saw Jenna Cameron next to her, a bottle of tequila at her side. Her face turned neutral as she took in the sight of the other captain. She looked good, hair loose and curly, almost glittering in the light of the sunset. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at Maria.

“Saw you sitting alone over here DeLuca, decided you may want the company.”

Maria kept her smile fake as she replied, “You sure you don’t have anything else you need to do? Maybe steal another member of my crew?”

Cameron laughed, despite that statement not being a joke.

“I wouldn’t have stolen him if I knew I was delivering him to the devil.” She smirked over at Maria. “It worked out in the long run, didn’t it?”

Maria just gave her another tight smile and took another sip of her rum.

They kept their heads forward, watching the groups around the fire as they fought, as they sang. Maria could hear Alex’s clear voice rising above the jeers from the fighting circle as another opponent lost to their cook. Alex’s singing voice was one of the most beautiful things Maria had ever heard. She missed hearing it every night, even if it had been years since he was a member of her crew.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard Alex sing,” Cameron said after a moment. “We’re more of a story telling group, rather than a singing one I’ll be honest. Even drunk, my men cannot hold a tune and none of us want to subject each other to that.” She gave Maria a small smile. “He’s good.”

Maria kept her eyes focused on Alex as he moved from one song to another and Guerin accompanied him on the fiddle. She closed her eyes. They used to do that on deck together all the time, once the majority of their duties were done for the day.

“He and Guerin would play and sing for us every night,” she said, eyes still closed in memory. “Guerin would pick the baudiest songs he could remember, just so he could make Alex sing those ridiculous lyrics. Alex would always pick something a little sad, something about lost and found love, as he watched Guerin the whole time.” She finally opened her eyes and looked at Cameron. “Honestly? It was almost sickening, how in love they were.”

Cameron snorted. “Still are, I think you mean. I have never seen Alex neglect his duties, but today he definitely rushed them just so he could meet Michael on the beach.”

“Not surprised. I watched Guerin dive into the water today because the longboats were taking  _ too long _ to get to his ‘sunkissed seaman’, his words.”

“His brother is Max Evans, right?” Maria nodded. “Has to be where he got that poetic saying from. No offense, but your navigator does not seem like the type to recite poetry.”

“Oh god, he is not. His idea of poetry is drinking songs, and maybe some jokes that are only fit for the gallows.”

Cameron offered her bottle of tequila which Maria gladly accepted. Her rum was long gone.

“I didn’t mean to steal him, you know?”

Maria sighed. “I know, doesn’t really change the fact that he’s on your ship and not mine. Not sure I forgive you for that.” They took turns drinking from the bottle, passing it back and forth as the fun finally set and the only light was the growing fires in the near distance. “I could maybe learn to tolerate you though. Guerin seems to like you, and he’s as prickly as they come.”

“Oh, I’d say he’s as prickly as his captain.” Cameron winked at her.

Maria furrowed her brows, unsure of how to respond. She was saved from having to respond by joyous shouts of “Liz!” and “Max!” followed by Alex and Guerin quickly leaving their place by the fire to run toward to figures as they made their way into camp from the town road.

Maria’s face exploded into a smile. She barely managed a small “excuse me” toward Cameron before she rushed into Liz’s awaiting arms.

At her spot on the blanket, Cameron knocked her head into her knees in exasperation. Nearby, Kyle and Rosa laughed.

Later, Maria found Cameron around a fire with Rosa and Valenti. She handed her a new bottle of tequila with a quiet “thank you” and a small but genuine smile.

-

“At least you know she doesn’t hate you anymore! Or...” Kyle trailed off as he and Jenna made their way below deck. “She definitely hates you less anyway.”

Jenna glared at the surgeon. “Thanks Valenti, that really made me feel better about the only other female captain thinking I’m a despicable human being who willingly works with monsters.”

Kyle laughed as they entered the captain’s quarters. “Yeah Cam, that’s why you’re so upset by this. Because she’s the only other female pirate captain and not because you like her.”

Jenna scoffed as she moved towards her desk and the newest collection of medical texts she acquired for Kyle.

“Of course I like her Valenti, she’s a good captain with morals that align with my own. Much better than some of the scum we run in to.”

Kyle walked to her side and laughed again. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. You like her, you think you could love her.”

“She’s a pirate. She’s lived her whole life at sea. She could never love me, not fully.” Jenna caught herself, caught her wistful tone and quickly straightened and continued with a firmer tone. “Besides, I admire her and her ship. Nothing more.”

“Oh yes, the hearts in your eyes when she knocked out Wyatt Long was pure appreciation and not a single ounce of anything else. You’re totally right.”

“Kyle, I normally appreciate your sarcasm, but you are wrong.”

The door opened while she spoke and Alex walked in.

“What is Valenti wrong about now?” He asked as he joined them around Jenna’s desk.

“He seems to think that my admiration of Captain DeLuca is anything beyond professional.”

This time it was Alex who laughed. Jenna was really tired of the insubordination her crew showed her.

“That’s because it’s not professional at all.” Alex laughed again. “You know I heard her mention that Maria’s skin glows like the ocean at sunrise. Her eyes sparkle that the endless waves, inviting you in despite the danger?”

“I never said that!”

Alex sat in Jenna’s desk chair and propped his cane against the desk.

“You were drunk. Tequila was involved. Michael and I starting a betting pool around when the two of you would finally shack up. He lost already, by the way,” he said as an aside as he stole one of the books from Kyle’s hand. “He thought it would be the last time we were all in Nassau. Didn’t expect Liz to show up though.” He said the last part apologetically.

“I can’t believe you would place bets on something so ridiculous!”

Kyle sounded almost sorry when he said gently, “Jenna, you have been flirting with her since the first time you two spoke.”

“I have not.”

Alex cut in. “I’m a pirate DeLuca. What did you expect DeLuca. I want to steal you DeLuca.”

“Honestly surprised you heard that. Thought you and Guerin were too wrapped up in each other.”

“That’s not the point. The point is that our dear Captain is half in love with Maria, and I think Maria could love her back, if you realized that was a possibility.” Alex’s voice was filled with sincerity. He took Jenna’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Jenna stood there with her closest friends and allowed herself to admit the truth. She had admired Captain Maria DeLuca since her former quartermaster told her about her unshakeable morals, her willingness to help. She had admired the way her eyes scrunched when she smiled, how she could be stone-faced when she needed to. She admired how she loved her crew, how she rarely lost a man to battle. How she watched her mother fight for a better life and decided that she would offer that better life to everyone who needed it.

She squeezed Alex’s hand, just a small squeeze, before she took her hand back.

“Ok,” she admitted, “yes. Yes, what I feel for Maria goes beyond mere admiration. What are we going to do about that?”

-

Maria was caught off guard when a ship in pursuit of them raised the black. She was caught off guard again when they spired the banner and realized it was Captain Cameron’s and the ship was  _ The Aphrodite _ . She watched as her crew continued their duties, ignoring the ship in the distance except for quick glances to ensure it was still in pursuit. She caught Guerin smirking from the helm. She saw Rosa cackling as she climbed the rigging.

She decided to ignore the ship, with its nominal ally captain, and continue with her tasks. She kept her sword and pistol at her side always anyway. She allowed herself to be ready for whatever would happen.

She was not prepared, some time later, for Jenna Cameron to board her ship, wrap Maria in her arms, and kiss her.

“Cameron, what are you doing?”

Cameron laughed. “I’m stealing from the sea queen, obviously.”

Maria could only frown in confusion as she took a step backwards.

“I’ll be honest DeLuca, I’m hoping they were all right when they told me you might want this too. Because I want this, I want to be like those idiots,” she gestured to Guerin and Alex, “and run into each other’s arms when we see each other. I want to drink with you on the beach as you talk about the past. I want to make a future with you, whether it’s us becoming the most feared captains on the high seas, or it’s us starting a revolution so that can allow everyone to feel the type of freedom we do. I want us to be as together as we can be, for two people whose hearts belong to the sea.”

Maria laughed, and allowed herself to think, to think about how she hasn’t hated Jenna Cameron for a long time, didn’t even hate her in the beginning. She thought about how Jenna stepped in to deal with Wyatt Long, even if it did still end in a brawl. Jenna didn’t do it because she thought Maria couldn’t take care of herself, but because Jenna lived that reality too. They shouldn’t have to deal with it alone.

She thought about the beach, how her thoughts had been spiralling and a relative stranger came over so that she wasn’t alone.

Maria smiled.

“What makes you think the sea queen will let you steal what is hers?” Maria took the step back towards Jenna.

Jenna smiled in turn. She wrapped an arm around Maria’s waist and pulled her in close, their breath mingled.

“I’m a pirate DeLuca,” she whispered, her lips barely grazed Maria’s. “I take what I want.”

This time, Maria kissed Jenna.


End file.
